For the 30,000 Keralites here, Onam spirit is in the air

The Onam Sadhya, the traditional meal with rice and sidedishes, is the highlight of the celebrations

an elaborae affair:Members the Kerala Samajam welcoming Onam with the Pookkalam (flower carpet) in Puducherry. (Right): A family observes the ritual of swinging at a house.— Photos: T.Singaravelou

With Puducherry being home to an estimated 30,000 Keralites, the harvest festival of Onam is an elaborate affair here, with the Puducherry Kerala Samajam taking the lead in celebrations.

The Onam Sadhya (traditional meal with rice and more than two dozen side dishes) is a highlight of the celebrations. Houses and institutions are decorated with the Pookkalam (flower carpet) and members of the community dress up in traditional attire, the Onakodi, to welcome the arrival of King Mahabali, who according to legend was believed to have a prosperous reign and was loved by his people. Some houses have also put up the ‘Ona oonjal’, a decorated swing, as part of the festival’s rituals.

Shylaja Sukumar, who has been living in Puducherry for 27 years, recalls a time when sourcing materials like the ‘Nendran’ and ‘Kadhali’ variety of bananas, and the ‘Vellarika’ variety of cucumber used to be harder. However, with improved connectivity, all materials are now available for the community here, with market vendors stocking all Kerala food items.

“The Malayalis outside Kerala pay a lot of importance to Onam festivities. At my house, we decorate with the Pookkalam on all 10 days of Onam celebrations. We distribute traditional savouries like unniappam and sharkara upperi among neighbours,” says Ms. Sukumar.

Kerala Samajam patron Alex Joseph says the Malayali community here comprises businesspersons, government personnel, medical staff and students. They also include a significant number of people from Mahe, an enclave of the Union Territory of Puducherry inside Kerala.

This being the 70th anniversary of the Kerala Samajam, programmes have been lined up from Onam till the New Year, says Ramanathan, president, Kerala Samajam. Some of the programmes for Onam include the Pookkalam contest, and several sports, arts, cultural and culinary competitions. The Kerala Samajam will also be hosting the traditional ‘Sadhya’ on September 6 at the Subhalakshmi Mahal.

Kerala Samajam general secretary, Prince C.P., says the association is planning to build an auditorium for cultural programmes. The Puducherry Kerala Samajam has an active drama club, with their members winning the dramatics competition for non-resident Keralites, organised by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, twice. The Kerala Samajam also oversees the Kerala government programme, Malayalam Mission, designed to impart Malayalam classes to non-resident Keralites across the world. In Puducherry, the Malayalam Mission has around 300 students and 12 centres. Students are also taught about the culture, poetry, folklore and traditions of Kerala. Sensitising the younger generation to the State’s culture is one of the important tasks of the Malayalam Mission, says Rejitha Vijayan, who teaches classes there. Students are taught which flowers to use in a Pookkalam, and how to place them. Many Tamil-speakers also learn through the Malayalam Mission as they are posted in Mahe, she says. The Kerala Samajam has helped build the community spirit, with members rallying around not just on festivals, but in times of need, says Mary Alex, one of the members of the association.